Residents of Bolivar Peninsula talk of seceding from Galveston County

By Harvey Rice

Updated 11:22 pm, Wednesday, December 12, 2012

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Brian Sather who is rebuilding his home after Hurricane Ike destroyed his home in Gilchrist. Sather a Gilchrist resident who wants the Bolivar Peninsula to secede from Galveston County and join Chambers County. Thomas B. Shea/The Houston Chronicle

Brian Sather who is rebuilding his home after Hurricane Ike destroyed his home in Gilchrist. Sather a Gilchrist resident who wants the Bolivar Peninsula to secede from Galveston County and join Chambers County.

GALVESTON — A few folks are talking about Texas seceding from the union, but on the Bolivar Peninsula, the talk is about seceding from Galveston County.

“Galveston County doesn't spend any money where we're at,” said Brian Sather, 47, a Gilchrist carpenter. “They don't clean the beach, they don't do nothing.”

The feeling of isolation is enhanced by the peninsula's physical separation from the rest of the county. The peninsula can only be reached from the county by the Galveston Island ferry. The only access by land is through Chambers County.

Genie Turk, 67, owner of a Crystal Beach real estate brokerage, is undecided about the merits of secession but says she has heard talk of it since at least 2006.

“The story from the Bolivar Peninsula is that Galveston really doesn't want Bolivar,” Turk said. “It's a pain in the neck for Galveston to deal with us. That seems to be the consensus of people who have dealt with Galveston Commissioners Court.”

County Judge Mark Henry is taking the grumbling seriously. Henry said he intends to poll peninsula residents to find out if a majority favors secession from Galveston County and annexation by Chambers County, a move that would require state legislative action.

Chambers County Judge Jimmy Sylvia said he is willing to consider the idea.

“I feel it would be good for the Bolivar Peninsula since we are connected by land to them, but I would have to be shown how it would be advantageous for the folks of Chambers County, my current constituents,” Sylvia said.

“My stance is I'll do whatever the people in Bolivar want to do, but it's going to take a lot of community dialogue and support and agreement between Galveston County and Chambers County before anything of this magnitude would occur,” he said.

He said the informal poll that Henry is proposing wouldn't be enough. A nonbinding referendum might be required, he said.

Williams could not be reached for comment.

Henry said peninsula residents' property taxes would drop from 60.3 cents per $100 assessed valuation to 49 cents if Bolivar became part of Chambers County.

Galveston County could make up some of the lost property taxes from the savings on services such as road maintenance, law enforcement, justices of the peace and constables, Henry said.

“When we have a sheriff's deputy make a call (for backup), he's looking at an hour and a half to get help,” Henry said.

John Emerald, 77, of Gilchrist is preparing to circulate a petition urging secession and to organize community meetings.

“We all know that geographically it's difficult,” Doyle said. “Is it an asset to Galveston County? I believe 100 percent it is.”

Doyle did not run for re-election and will be replaced next month by Ryan Dennard, who seems keen on giving peninsula residents a reason to stay. Dennard said he intends to pay a lot of attention to the peninsula even before he takes office in January.

He is planning to have a town meeting every month and to live on the peninsula at least a week each year.